COLUMBIA, S.C. - Despite the lingering state budget crisis, lawmakers have been able find to $4.1 million to fund projects in the districts.

Seven projects have received more than $100,000 in state funding through the state Department of Health and Environmental Control's budget for the fiscal year that ends next month. This one-time money goes through every large state agency, but the agencies have no control over the funds.

House Republican Leader Rick Quinn, R-Columbia, funneled $900,000 to the Richland County Recreation Commission to pay for soccer and baseball fields in his district.

State Rep. Bill Clyburn, D-Aiken, and state Sen. Tommy Moore, D-Clearwater, got $500,000 for the Edgefield County Senior Citizens Council to help replace a senior center.

And $200,000 will go to a sewer treatment plant in Olanta thanks to state Rep. Marty Coates, R-Florence.

The budget approved last year included about $500 million in one-time money, Quinn said. As chairman of the health subcommittee of Ways and Means, he steers the money through health-related agencies.

"I am very aggressive in trying to find money for my district," Quinn said.

He said one-time money being used for recurring expenses like salaries and programs is one reason the state's has a budget crisis. The money should only be used for one-time expenses, like park improvements, he said.

Clyburn and Moore said the senior center project deserves state money. And county and private money is also helping to pay for the project.

"The old place did not have the capacity to handle the people," Clyburn said. "These people need a place where they can go to eat and be taken care of."

Other legislators say their projects are worthy of state money, too.

Shared Care of Horry County got $150,000 for a program that has three hospitals enrolling uninsured residents into Medicaid.

"We've got 28,000 people who do not have health insurance," said Rep. Tracy Edge, R-Horry. "That's a real problem."

About $600,000 is going to the South Carolina Biotech Incubation Program in Greenwood.

Sickle cell programs in Spartanburg, Columbia, Orangeburg and Charleston will receive about $477,000, and the University of South Carolina-Lancaster secured about $192,000 for its public health center.

The budget for the state Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department also included about $2 million in one-time money.

Information from: The State